Rivals 'Til the End
by Virgo Writer
Summary: Gary learnt far too early that he couldn't rely on anybody but himself. Especially not his parents.


This is something I found hidden in my email drafts and I quite liked it so thought I'd shared. I'm pretty sure it's ATLS universe, so the various flashbacks to PokeTech era apply. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

Rivals 'Til the End

"Well," Delia said as she surveyed the room, "I think we've done pretty well for a couple first timers. Don't you?"

Prof. Oak nodded in agreement. "You don't think it's a bit much?" he asked with a slight frown.

Delia shook her head in protest. "Of course not," she declared. "Your grandson only turns ten once."

"I suppose not," he replied tiredly, his voice still tinged with worry.

"This isn't about the decorations, is it?" Delia asked, noting that his mood had only gotten worse as the day progressed.

Sam sighed tiredly. "I haven't been able to reach Alon and Rachel," he replied. "I don't think they're going to make it."

"But they have to!" Delia exclaimed automatically. "It's their son's birthday. They have to be here."

Sam scoffed. "I'd be surprised if they even realized," he said in a scornful tone that was quite unlike the professor. "I know Alon's my son, but they way he is with Gary . . . I just can't believe that anyone could be so cold. Gary tries so hard and they give him nothing in return.

"Sometimes I wish they'd just leave him alone altogether rather than have him hanging on for the slightest show of affection," he finished morbidly. "He'd be better with them dead."

Delia was surprised by the harsh words, but only slightly. The place Gary held in his grandfather's heart was unmatched by that of his sons or even his granddaughter. Gary was the most precious thing in the professor's life, although he struggled to show it at times. That Gary could be tossed aside so easily by his own offspring was a tragedy to the professor, and he was disgusted at his son and daughter-in-law for doing so.

Delia forced a smile onto her face, hoping to lighten things a little. "Well if they're not going to be here," she said with a determined nod, "they're the ones missing out. This is going to be the best tenth birthday ever, and they'll be sad that they missed it."

Sam nodded, hoping it were true but doubting all the same. Maybe one day when they realized that they had missed Gary's whole life they might look back and regret not being there for moments like this, but he'd be surprised if they even spared a passing thought for his grandson (for Sam rarely thought of Gary as Alon's son). Like Delia, he forced a smile onto his face and cheered wildly, "then let's get this party started."

* * *

Gary Oak grinned at the spread, his best friend - Ash Ketchum - at his side jealously watching the birthday cake with hungry eyes. This was only the start of Ash Ketchum's love affair with food, and in it's early days, none thought too much of it as he was a growing boy and it was only right for him to put so much away. Later they would wonder where it all went, and many of the women would envy his metabolism with an unconscious glare.

"Wow, Gary, look at that," Ash gaped, dragging his eyes away from the cake so as to stare at the Pokemon trainer performing various tricks with thier Pokemon. "I'm definitely gonna have me one of those," he added, wistfully watching the trainer interact with his machamp.

"Yeah, but that's a long way away, Ashy," Gary replied. "Like a whole year. That's _AGES_ away."

"Yeah, but you're waiting too," Ash replied, "so it won't be so bad. I can't wait 'til we leave, Gar'. It's gonna be awesome!"  
Gary laughed at his younger friend, feeling the maturity of being a whole year older. With the order of their birthdays, Gary could pretend like the age gap was two years and not merely one and bit and feel like he was years beyond his friend who wouldn't be ten until the following August. Being best friends, Gary had happily agreed to wait until his friend's birthday so they could leave on their journey's together and travel through Kanto as a team.

It never ended up that way, through no real fault of either party. The friendship was shattered by what largely came down to bad timing on Ash's part and misplaced anger on Gary's. Freud would have had a field day just going through Gary's defense mechanism, let alone getting into potential Oedipul feelings and some rather painful daddy issues.

The door swung open to another party guest, and Gary immediately turned his attention towards it thinking it was his folks arriving. He was disappointed yet again as his uncle walked through the door with his cousin, May. The teenager rushed to him and Ash, greeting each of them with a warm hug. Ash blushed largely because he had a crush on May last summer and still felt kind of awkward when she went and hugged him like he was her little brother.

"You boys miss me?" she asked, grinning widely at the two. Ash nodded; Gary scoffed. May frowned, glancing at her cousin questioningly. "You okay, Gar'?" she asked him.

"Yeah," Gary replied sourly. "I just ate too much and now my stomach hurts," he lied. "I'm gonna go for a walk." He disappeared before May could protest.

It only took one glance around the room for May to realize what was wrong. Her Uncle Alon and Aunt Rachel weren't here and she could guess by the lateness of her own arrival that they weren't coming. Gary had realized it too.

A card arrived two weeks later wishing him a 'Happy 9th Birthday' and in spite of the unthoughtfulness and lack of any apology, Gary treasured the gesture. He was a like a dog begging for scraps from their table, and would take even the slightest show for all it was worth. It was completely pathetic, but he hardly cared. He told himself it meant more than it did and ignored all the signs that told him he hadn't even been thought of until later. He was too young to know that they were unworthy of his affection and excuses; too young to be selective in who he loved.

That card would tied him over for a whole year of not seeing them and a missed milestones. It would make up for the school competitions that they missed (his grandfather attending each and every one of them in their stead, even the really unimportant ones that the other parents never bothered with), and the report cards they never signed, and the friends they never met. It would tied him over until another missed birthday and another belated birthday card took it's place, and a little bit more of Gary was chipped away.

But nothing would make up for what happened six months later.

The phone rang early one morning while the professor was out feeding the Pokemon. Gary answered it, thinking it would likely be Mrs Ketchum at that hour inviting him and his grandfather over for lunch or dinner or some kind of meal. It wasn't, and he was suprised to see a set of features quite like his own looking back at him with a wide grin.

"Gary, my boy," Alon cheered. "Go get your grandfather. I want to speak to you both."

"H-he's feeding t-the P-pokemon," Gary stuttered, unable to find his voice around his estranged father. "I'm not sure where he'll be."

"That's fine then," Alon replied, unfazed. "I just called to tell you both that the baby just arrived. She's perfect. Ten fingers. Ten toes. We called her Daisy after your great grandmother."

Gary gaped, surprise registering on his features. "A baby?" he asked, not quite believing it to be true. He tried to tell himself that they were talking about someone else's child, and not their own. The truth hurt because it was already evident to the young ten year old that this child would be loved in a way that he never had been; that this child would have their feelings reciprocated in kind and would never receive a late birthday card or have a missed recital. Daisy Oak would never suffer the same fate he did.

"Yeah, don't you remember us telling you?" Alon asked. "You're such a goose, Gary.

"Look, I've got to go," he added, glancing away from the screen. "Daisy went asleep a few moments ago, and I don't want to miss her waking up. Tell your grandfather for me, Gar'. Bye."

The screen cut out quickly before Gary could respond and he stood there for a long time with tears falling down from his eyes without him knowing. It was like that, that his grandfather found him some ten minutes later, wiping his hands on a cloth as he walked in.

"Gary, what's wrong?" he asked quickly, noting his grandson's sad expression. "Did something happen?"

"No," Gary replied, shaking his head quickly. "I just got something in my eye. I have to go, Gramps," he said, forcing a cheery smile, "I gotta meet Ashy by the river. See you later, Gramps," he called as he raced out the door.

The phone rang moments later, and Sam answered it with a frown.

"Oh good. I'm glad I caught you, dad," Alon said as he saw his father. "I figured Gary would probably forget to tell you. The kid can be so silly, he probably got distracted by that little dark haired friend of his - the Ketchum kid," he added disdainfully, still harbouring some unfond memories about a certain meeting with Ash's parents. "I just called to tell you that the baby arrived and I'll send you some pictures right away."

Sam scoffed disdainfully, anger burning in his chest as he realized why Gary had looked so upset before leaving. "So you'll be keeping this one," he muttered sarcastically, his features tight with anger.

Alon rolled his eyes. "Look, if Gary's that much of a problem we can take him off your hands, but he'll be ten in a year so what's the point?" Alon asked. "He'll probalby just get in the way with Daisy and with the new baby around, it would just be better if he stayed with you."

Sam practically steamed with anger. "I'm not trying to get rid of him, Alon," Sam growled at him, anger holding him like never before, "I just think it's rich of you having another child when you've barely given your son a second thought in the past ten years.

"And yes I mean ten years, Alon," he added with a hiss. "Your son will be eleven in June, and I doubt you can even tell me which day his birthday is."

"It doesn't matter," Alon answered flippantly. "We're going to get it right with Daisy," he assured his father solomnly, thinking that was what he wanted to hear.

This only infuriated the usually mild mannered professor further. There were no excuses for this. "You should have got it right with Gary!" he shouted before slamming down the phone.

His heart heavy, he resolve himself to the only thing that he could do.

He would simply have to love Gary enough for the both of them.


End file.
